Help? Just Got Followed Into My Neighborhood (Road Rage)

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mike6467

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Holy shit, shaken.

I was just driving home from the grocery store with my roommate in the car. We were doing the speed limit when a car (an Escalade) comes up behind me and tails me and is generally driving aggressively. This is a residential area where people walk, so I decided it was a good idea to slow down to 5 under to make a point. This was a bad idea. I should've let him pass. I won't do things like this in the future. I couldn't have imagined the response.

Anyways we got to a double turn lane, he pulled up next to me and I just looked over with a puzzled "What the fuck" look and tried to visibly shrug, there was clearly a women in the car and I assumed things were done at this point, because who would lose their shit with their wife/girlfriend in the car?

Apparently this guy, because we took the turn. He proceeded to get in my lane and tail me HARD. My neighborhood was coming up, and this was already freaking me out, so I didn't go home. I proceeded through another part of the neighborhood and tried to turn around in a cul-de-sac so I could get into a public place He attempted to box me in and almost hit my driver's side when I was turning around. I panicked at this point and told my roommate to call 911. I slowed down, and when I saw him get out out of his car I gunned it around him, he screamed at me and I'm pretty sure he threw something.

I didn't stop, and just got out of the area. We proceeded to get on the highway, drive for about 20 minutes and take an alternate route home. My roommate hadn't actually finished dialing 911 and she didn't finish the call because at the time we were panicked and just focused on the moment, this was probably a mistake as well.

Shook as fuck right now. I'm just glad nobody got hurt, but I'm wondering what I should do, and what I should be worried about. I didn't get his plate number, but he easily could've gotten mine, should I look at replacing them? I mean should I be filing a police report given how little information I have? I just know it was a white, late model Escalade and the dude was white with glasses.

Mostly I'm paranoid that this guy could find out where I live, my roommate has two kids and I'm feeling like a total failure for doing something so stupid. I feel like I'm overreacting here, but when someone did as much as they did under these circumstances and was clearly ready to resort to violence, I don't know what limits they'll go to.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
These assholes rarely ever follow up on this shit and their rage passes.

I had something like that happen to me once, he kept speeding in front of me and slowing down to try to force me off the road until he gave up and yelled at me as I drove past him.

I wouldn't worry too much, honestly. Glad you're safe, but this sort of road rage rarely results in anything except in-the-moment stuff like that. Actual psychos who would COME BACK tomorrow are a hell of a lot rarer than people who chase cars in rage.
 
I've never been in this situation before but first I want to say that I am glad you and your roommate are safe. I would contact the police and file a report.
 
Similar thing happened to me once, our company pool car was cut up by some BMW driving wanker and the driver of the pool car did the same to him in retaliation. (We were young, no excuses) So this BMW followed us all the way to the office parked by the gates and was obviously looking for a fight, but when 5 guys got out the pool car he quickly got back in his and drove off as we laughed hard at him.

Nothing will happen OP, stop worrying.
 
Damn, man, that does not sound fun. It's too bad you didn't get the plate number, I'd have urged you to file a police report if you had. Maybe file a report to open a case, and return with more info in the event you ever see the guy around; avoid him, get his info, add it to the report?
 
Why the fuck do people care about this so much and waste their time following someone. Like you maybe inconvienced him or slowed him down for less than a minute by driving slow. And then they go and waste 20 mins following someone and get oout of their car, etc. These people have serious issues.
 
Other driver was a massive douche. Probably did it because that girl was in the car to show off or something.

I get people being annoyed with drivers going slower in the left lane on highways, but I don't think the "passing" lane thing really applies to residential/surface streets. Meaning of course you always pass on the left, but I don't think it is supposed to be a "fast" lane like it would be on a highway.

Too many cross sections, pedestrians, left turns, etc. for that to apply.
 
I'd have stopped the car, gotten out, stripped naked and pump myself up by punching myself in the genitals. Ain't nobody gonna scrap with a crazy naked person.
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.
 
Some people are just criminally insane. I've been followed twice as a result of road rage situations.

Once I was making a right turn on a green light, and some asshat completely ran the red light perpendicular to me and I had to jam the brakes to avoid being t-boned. I was annoyed and honked, then after turning blasted him with my high beams for ten seconds or so. He pulled aside and I went around him, then he proceeded to get behind me with his high beams on, tail gating hard. I slowed down and pulled off onto the shoulder to see if he wanted to go around, he slowed down right along with me. Instead of driving home I went a bit out of the way and pulled into a police station parking lot. He went on by and that was that.

The second time, I was driving my grandmother to a hairdresser appointment. At a four way stop, it was clearly my turn to go and as I was proceeding, a car perpendicular to me lurched out into the intersection, then jammed on his brakes to avoid hitting me. I looked over and gave him an annoyed look with an upward open palm motion (maybe he thought it was the finger? or an Italian salute? Still..).

He honked at me then tailgated me all the way to the hairdresser parking lot. He parked a ways across the lot and got out of the car and started approaching; when he saw me open the passenger door, with an 80 year old woman subsequently emerging, he got back in his car and left.


Some people are insane, man. TLDR: To the TC... don't waste time worrying. Nothing will happen.
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.

But why avoid RoadRage now? Sounds like a good deal. Free burgers and front row seats to your boy winning a match.
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.

I love how you ate that wrapped cheeseburger right in his face haha Best part.
 
These assholes rarely ever follow up on this shit and their rage passes.

S
Nothing will happen OP, stop worrying.

Thank you, this was what I was hoping to hear and I guess I just wanted confirmation that I shouldn't be running out, trading the car and getting a shotgun for self defense :D

Damn, man, that does not sound fun. It's too bad you didn't get the plate number, I'd have urged you to file a police report if you had. Maybe file a report to open a case, and return with more info in the event you ever see the guy around; avoid him, get his info, add it to the report?

Yeah, from the people I've talked to, filing a report is almost trivial, so I may do it just so there's something out there in case something would happen.

Other driver was a massive douche. Probably did it because that girl was in the car to show off or something.

I get people being annoyed with drivers going slower in the left lane on highways, but I don't think the "passing" lane thing really applies to residential/surface streets. Meaning of course you always pass on the left, but I don't think it is supposed to be a "fast" lane like it would be on a highway.

Too many cross sections, pedestrians, left turns, etc. for that to apply.

Yeah, I mean the speed limit here was between 35 and 45 and there's regularly people walking, even at night. He came up on me going at least 70. I should've known to stay out of his way based on that.

This whole thing made me realize how unprepared I was. If you'd asked me earlier today what I would've done in this situation, I would've been able to present a logical plan to cover all my bases. It happened so fast and before I could even think of any of that stuff I was peeling out and rolling stop signs to get away from this maniac. If it ever happened again, I'd avoid driving into a neighborhood in the first place, and immediately call the police/start recording on a phone. I'm just glad I was smart enough to keep away from my actual house and didn't try turning around in any driveways.

Next time drive to a police station.

Yeah, this too.
 
Road rage does weird things to people but you're ok. Dude is at home telling his wife what a tough sonifabitch he is for putting his family in jeopardy for no reason.


You're just a red car.
 
I stopped at a red light once and the dude behind me got out of his car and motioned for me to roll down my window. I barely crack my window open and he asks me why I laughed at him. He then starts going back into his car as what I assume is his girlfriend comes out the passenger side and approaches me. She yells something like "fuck you" to me and then tells me that he's going to fuck me up.

The guy comes out of his car and starts approaching mine, I notice that the light is about to turn green and I drive away. Guy starts following me so I pull off to the side of the road and he drives past. This burns me as I had a strict "if you fuck with me I will fuck with you twice as hard" streak back then. I speed up behind him and accelerate as fast as I can behind him and ride his bumper as close as I can without hitting him. I'm honking my horn and swerving behind him as aggressively as I can. He ends up driving off the road at something like 40 miles and hour and I drive past.

Fuck that guy.
 
I had something like this happen to me, i was driving around with my cousin and his friend while we were curising in a new car he just got. We dropped some acid and were laughing our asses off at how the downtown city lights lights looked like they morphed into a tunnel we were driving into. Out of nowhere these two cars drive up to us and one of the drivers was acting like he was an owl and chasing us for no reason. We pull up to a red light and they say "Hey Passat, let's eat!" We lost them after a while, ended up coming down from our trip watching Daria and at my grandma's (not sure how we ended up there) and Lars Ulrich printing out names of people who illegally downloaded Metallica's music on Napster on MTV.


Never saw them again.
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.

Easily one of the best posts I'll probably read for all of 2017.
 
I stopped at a red light once and the dude behind me got out of his car and motioned for me to roll down my window. I barely crack my window open and he asks me why I laughed at him. He then starts going back into his car as what I assume is his girlfriend comes out the passenger side and approaches me. She yells something like "fuck you" to me and then tells me that he's going to fuck me up.

The guy comes out of his car and starts approaching mine, I notice that the light is about to turn green and I drive away. Guy starts following me so I pull off to the side of the road and he drives past. This burns me as I had a strict "if you fuck with me I will fuck with you twice as hard" streak back then. I speed up behind him and accelerate as fast as I can behind him and ride his bumper as close as I can without hitting him. I'm honking my horn and swerving behind him as aggressively as I can. He ends up driving off the road at something like 40 miles and hour and I drive past.

Fuck that guy.

Good job on escalating the situation. SMH.
 
I thought that you were going to something dangerous like tap your breaks, but slowing down 5 under the speed limit is nothing. That guy sounds crazy and wreckless, not your fault he was unstable at someone standing up to his dumb tailgating.
 
Next time drive to a police station.

This is good advice, also , since you had a passenger for help, should've gotten him to get his plate number right away.

I am generally a slow ass driver, especially if not on a highway...

And being tailgated is one of my biggest pet peeves, (I honestly cannot drive if I see a car, closer than an 18 wheeler's length behind me) so as long as there is a few inches of shoulder to my right, I will slow down and pull over and let the ass hat riding my ass pass.

It's very good practice OP, and prevents many road rages... It's a fucked up "mucho" or "ego" or "pride" thing psychologically, but you're not a "lesser" or "submissive pussy" for letting them pass you and go... You're just being rational and calm... You'll forget about them in exactly 15 seconds, they'll forget about you in 5...
 
I thought that you were going to something dangerous like tap your breaks, but slowing down 5 under the speed limit is nothing. That guy sounds crazy and wreckless, not your fault he was unstable at someone standing up to his dumb tailgating.

It's a dick move and unnecessary, but the response was absolutely disproportionate.
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.
Lol. I'm cracking up at you eating the burger in his face.
 
I stopped at a red light once and the dude behind me got out of his car and motioned for me to roll down my window. I barely crack my window open and he asks me why I laughed at him. He then starts going back into his car as what I assume is his girlfriend comes out the passenger side and approaches me. She yells something like "fuck you" to me and then tells me that he's going to fuck me up.

The guy comes out of his car and starts approaching mine, I notice that the light is about to turn green and I drive away. Guy starts following me so I pull off to the side of the road and he drives past. This burns me as I had a strict "if you fuck with me I will fuck with you twice as hard" streak back then. I speed up behind him and accelerate as fast as I can behind him and ride his bumper as close as I can without hitting him. I'm honking my horn and swerving behind him as aggressively as I can. He ends up driving off the road at something like 40 miles and hour and I drive past.

Fuck that guy.

hollie shit, so what happened to him? did he roll his car? flip it?
 
Once had some dude pull up beside me in a truck and do the roll window down motion. I obliged and he said completely straight-faced "you're a fucking asshole!" and then sped off. No smirk or anything, no idea if the guy was trolling, nuts (read: loaded), or if I may have accidentally cut him off. Bizarre encounter.

Another on the freeway some guy is trying to do the turtle lane change into mine when I'm going way too fast for him to safely merge, and I see the guy beet red with rage as I pass him, guy seriously looked like he was gonna blow a gasket. He actually face palmed from exasperation. Don't think he was having a great day.
 
It's a dick move and unnecessary, but the response was absolutely disproportionate.

Yeah, slowing down isn't aggressive by any means, but it boils down to me being able to defuse the situation by getting out of the way, and choosing not to.

My roommate is currently trying to avoid a panic attack, it freaked her the fuck out. I can deal with the consequences of my actions (had I been alone I may have stayed and dealt with the guy), but that choice put someone else in danger and I feel a bit sick thinking about it. Lesson learned I guess. Thanks all for the replies, this thread did a lot to reassure us.
 
I find that a lot of people get road rage immediately after doing something really stupid, like running a red light or being mad that I'm going "slow" in the left lane when I'm probably going 4-5 miles over and just want to get around someone/semi in the right lane and they come barreling up going 15-20 over. I don't even mess around and call people out by honking when they are fucking idiots behind the wheel, and I've still had people get angry and do dumb shit in retaliation.

My favorite is when people speed past, honk and give the finger, then get stuck at the same light I end up at seconds later. Some people really don't understand how irresponsible it is. You're the equivalent of a superhero behind the wheel. You're able to cause many tons worth of impact damage on anything you touch, increased by speed.

What's weird is that I'm an extremely cautious driver because of my dad, who was a super aggressive driver. He was an EMT and drove an ambulance, so sometimes situations called for that. The way he drove scared the shit out of me.
 
Why slow down? I don't get this behaviour. If you don't want to speed then just stick to the speed limit or pull over and let them take off.
Slowing down will only antagonise the person
 
I wouldn't worry about it. It's really unlikely the dude will follow up, and even if he did, how would he know where you live? You can't just Google someone's Liscense plate number and find their address -- I'm sure you'll be safe.

Not sure what part of (what I'm assuming is the US) the country you live in but if he would've tried to hit your car with his, you could've responded with deadly force in order to defend yourself, that shit is serious. Glad you're alright. Stay safe and don't antagonize people ;)
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.

Next time I would end this story with the cheeseburger.
 
I think you are okay if nothing else happened.
I got hit in the face with a McDonald's Cheeseburger thanks to Road Rage, not kidding.
We were at the Holland Tunnel going into NYC, summer time windows down, my friend who was driving pulled a dick move and did not let the car behind us in breaking the common courtesy flow of every other car. Dude was cursing at us and beeping the entire time through the tunnel and when we got out of the tunnel and the traffic broke up a little he sped up on the passenger side, my side, and hit me square in the face with a wrapped McDonald's cheeseburger.

Dumbfounded, I looked at him, unwrapped it, and proceeded to eat the entire thing. This made him furious beyond belief, so he followed us for a good 5 blocks, until my boy who was in the back seat said pull over, which the driver did, and my boy got out of the car, as did the driver of the other car, and my friend laid him out with one punch like it was the fucking movies.

It was all crazy as it sounds and ever since I do my absolute best to avoid any additional road rage incidents.

You'll be fine OP. If they didn't do anything as it all went down its over.

The cheeseburger being thrown and you eating it made me laugh a good bit. Great post!
 
One time my dad was teaching my teenaged sister to drive a manual transmission, and she stalled out twice at a red light. One of my best friends was driving the car behind her, and he got out of his car and walked up to her window and started screaming at her that she was a bitch and every other thing. My dad got out of the car and my 'friend' recognized him and immediately fled.
 
My GF's brother often gets road rage. He follows people to their home so he can come back later and smear dog shit on their car's door handle.
 
I stopped at a red light once and the dude behind me got out of his car and motioned for me to roll down my window. I barely crack my window open and he asks me why I laughed at him. He then starts going back into his car as what I assume is his girlfriend comes out the passenger side and approaches me. She yells something like "fuck you" to me and then tells me that he's going to fuck me up.

The guy comes out of his car and starts approaching mine, I notice that the light is about to turn green and I drive away. Guy starts following me so I pull off to the side of the road and he drives past. This burns me as I had a strict "if you fuck with me I will fuck with you twice as hard" streak back then. I speed up behind him and accelerate as fast as I can behind him and ride his bumper as close as I can without hitting him. I'm honking my horn and swerving behind him as aggressively as I can. He ends up driving off the road at something like 40 miles and hour and I drive past.

Fuck that guy.

I'm not sure who the bigger psychopath is in this story, way to make a bad situation worse.
 
I stopped at a red light once and the dude behind me got out of his car and motioned for me to roll down my window. I barely crack my window open and he asks me why I laughed at him. He then starts going back into his car as what I assume is his girlfriend comes out the passenger side and approaches me. She yells something like "fuck you" to me and then tells me that he's going to fuck me up.

The guy comes out of his car and starts approaching mine, I notice that the light is about to turn green and I drive away. Guy starts following me so I pull off to the side of the road and he drives past. This burns me as I had a strict "if you fuck with me I will fuck with you twice as hard" streak back then. I speed up behind him and accelerate as fast as I can behind him and ride his bumper as close as I can without hitting him. I'm honking my horn and swerving behind him as aggressively as I can. He ends up driving off the road at something like 40 miles and hour and I drive past.

Fuck that guy.
You took that to 11. Maybe "Fuck that guy" can turn into "I hope he wasn't hurt."
I had something like this happen to me, i was driving around with my cousin and his friend while we were curising in a new car he just got. We dropped some acid and were laughing our asses off at how the downtown city lights lights looked like they morphed into a tunnel we were driving into. Out of nowhere these two cars drive up to us and one of the drivers was acting like he was an owl and chasing us for no reason. We pull up to a red light and they say "Hey Passat, let's eat!" We lost them after a while, ended up coming down from our trip watching Daria and at my grandma's (not sure how we ended up there) and Lars Ulrich printing out names of people who illegally downloaded Metallica's music on Napster on MTV.

Never saw them again.
You were driving around while tripping on LSD. You know you're the villains of this story, right?
 
I was followed once on my way home. Instead of actually going home I led them on a scenic journey to nowhere in particular until they gave up. If you think you'll threaten me by following me around I've got no problem wasting your time.
 
Damn , he definately had you shook

Eh, I've never really dealt with road rage, and I've never been followed.

Having the guy accelerate and slam on his brakes roughly 2 feet from my door while trying to box me into a dark cul-de-sac with no people in the immediate vicinity definitely fucked with me. The fact that all happened with a passenger who was freaking out and crying made it much worse.
 
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